BLACKPINK Lisa's VMA win for Best Pop sparks debate over chart performance and fan voting

The victory quickly drew criticism from sections of social media, with some users questioning how “Dream” won despite its limited performance on major US charts. The song did not enter the US Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at No. 122 on the Billboard Global Excl.

U.S. chart. However, it surpassed 100 million streams and gained traction on Spotify and i. Tunes.

Its short-film music video also reached No. 1 worldwide on You. Tube. Some critics described the win as an “attendance award”, while others questioned the result by saying, “nobody knows this song”.

Lisa’s supporters argued that the VMAs are determined through voting and said they had voted to support her. The debate also included claims on social media that Lisa had bought awards, although these remain allegations rather than established facts.

Lisa also performed her new single, “Sa. WaDi. Ka”, at the ceremony, appearing inside a life-sized traditional Thai tuk-tuk.

Fans praised the staging, while some critics questioned whether she performed live. The controversy has placed Lisa’s VMAs 2026 win at the centre of a wider discussion about chart performance, fan voting and award recognition.